Want to volunteer?

There are some great volunteering opportunities which will give you valuable skills, help you decide on your career and make your CV shine. Here are some ideas.

If you can spare the time for some relevant voluntary work, it’s a great way to impress admissions tutors when you apply to college or university as well as being a good opportunity to find out more about the type of career you might like once you’ve finished studying.

Although almost all types of volunteering work will look good on your CV, the organisations below might be particularly helpful if you’re applying to do medicine.

• St. John Ambulance
  Britain’s biggest first aid, transport and care charity. St John Ambulance provides first aid, medical support and care services for the community and offers training and development for young people. Under-18s can become St John cadets. This allows you to learn first aid skills and get to use them.
• British Red Cross
  The British Red Cross gives care to people in need and crisis – both in this country and abroad. In the UK the British Red Cross' main purpose is to support other services - volunteer opportunities vary from working alongside the emergency services to providing assistance for sick and disabled people.
• NHS
  Volunteering opportunities are available in hospitals and GP surgeries. If you’re interested, contact your local surgery or hospital (ask for the voluntary services department).
• Marie Curie Cancer Care
  This is a large national charity working with people suffering from cancer and funding research into treating the disease. There are a range of volunteering opportunities from fundraising and helping at charity events to working in the hospices where you could give assistance on the ward, work on the reception, help with the administration and even do some gardening!
• Asthma UK
  Asthma UK is a charity working with and for people suffering from asthma. There are various ways volunteers can get involved, from accompanying children with asthma on organised adventure holidays to becoming a volunteer speaker – you’ll get trained in public speaking and educate your local community about the illness.

Not what you're looking for?

This is just a list of a few national organisations. Lots of volunteering opportunities are run on a local level. To find your nearest voluntary opportunity, go to Do It.

Want more volunteering ideas? Visit Charity Choice for a list of national and local charities.

Related links

• How to get a charity internship
• Working in the charity sector
• Why work experience works
• Going extra curricular
• Gap year overview
• Find out more about volunteering

Your shout!

Do you have any experience of volunteering? Share your thoughts by posting a comment using the link below.